Communications Studies Chair Joshua Miller
Joshua Miller never saw himself as a strong student before eventually landing at Pierce College without a clear plan. Everything changed the day he helped a friend register for classes at Valley College. A chance encounter with a professor who invited him to join a public speaking course held in Bungalow 55 became the turning point in his life. Under then Professor Marty Taras’s mentorship, Joshua joined the speech team, began competing, and within two years became one of the top speakers in the nation. What began as curiosity grew into purpose, taking him from Valley to UC Berkeley, then to USC as a debate coach, and ultimately back to Valley as a professor in 2002, where he has taught ever since.
Throughout his career, Joshua has watched students transform through communication in ways that go far beyond competition. He recalls one student who struggled with addiction and self-harm but, after earning several gold medals, told him she no longer felt defined by her past. Another former student now lives in Zimbabwe, helping build community infrastructure and using the speaking and storytelling skills she learned at Valley to advocate for local projects. Today, more than two decades after that first invitation to Bungalow 55, Joshua remains deeply connected to the Valley College community he calls home. He describes it as a place filled with kindness, energy, and people who genuinely care, a place where students’ lives are changed every day.
If you are interested in learning more about LAVC’s Speech and Debate team, please visit the LAVC Speech and Debate (Forensics) web page.